An Alternate Universe: Scion
by Shoku-Meian
Summary: In this world "Power" means everything. Those who fight, those who rule, and those who manipulate others all have the power to shape the world into what it is. Scion a young boy who desires a fight, Quna a young girl in love, Luke, a man with words, Chiion a young lady with the will and wits to survive. With Quna and Luke and Chiion united under Scion will they survive this world?
1. Once Upon a Time: Quna

There will be dark themes and all characters in the Original story will be present as these events occur at the same time as the original story itself.

I also do not claim any of the characters in the story and just freely use them as much as a Fanfiction itself.

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Chapter 1- Quna

It all began before I was 8 years old. At that time I was constantly bullied for having red hair and green eyes. My parents tried to take care of me by giving as much food as they could and from that standpoint I would be happy to know they care. To be frank, the truth in the manner is they didn't care about me at all, rather they only took care of me so that I could be sold as a slave, when I turn ten, for money. When I found out about it I ran away from home a month early before my birthday to escape the parents who didn't love me at all, knowing that I won't live long in the world. It only took several days later before I would be caught and return back home. My parents knew about my planned escape and because of that I wasn't fed for the entire month and be whipped at night as punishment. For an entire week I could manage living by eating grass and drinking river water but that wasn't obviously nutritious enough for my health, causing me to degrade drastically. For days I lived that way surviving like that until I was unable to continue on such lifestyle. I had given up hope of a clean life but that change when a young man, that who I would soon love later, came to me.

An outsider no less is looked at with a positive outlook for money precisely. Yet when he came to me everyone's opinions changed in a blink of an eye and ridicule him for trying to help me. Not caring what people thought of him, he fed me and even nurse me back to health. At the time I just wanted to die because if I live longer then I would be force to be a slave. Then disaster struck as a bandit raid occur in the town that I lived in. Robbery, rape, and murder was all that was common when I saw it, my parents were absolute cowards that fled from danger and grabbed me as they fled. I would not see the man again for another two years when my parents reached a new town and settled. Only this time they were successful for an entire year before the Empire's taxes were doubled and forcing all the people in town into poverty. My parents refuse to lose their wealth just like that and thought to use me as a tribute to pay for their taxes for life.

However that did not come to happen as the Empire came and attack the town due to revolutionary activities within it. Watching once again the village facing robbery, rape, murder and the burning down of homes with it. This time my parents did not manage to escape and were killed in front of me. I showed no remorse about their deaths and I fled running away from my parent's killer. Though I didn't run far as I was eventually caught by the killer's rope and the killer dragged me to him. Then as I was in striking range of my parent's killer the Killer's attention diverged from me to another person. That person was the same man who saved me from hunger two years ago. Though it was under different circumstances I was sure that I would not be spared from the oncoming fight.

My parent's killer then retracted the rope that caught me and began to charge at the man and for an entire 5 minutes it seems that my parent's killer had the advantage over the man who saved me, in combat. But in a single moment the man sliced off the killer's arm, flinging the weapon that the killer held up and landing close to me and as my parent's killer seemingly was begging for his life, the man executed him by slicing off the killer's head off cleanly. Watch as this all unfolded I felt attracted to the weapon that my parent's killer used walking over to it and slowly picked it up. Feeling a slight tingle just holding it I fainted as the man started to walk over to me.

Waking up I would find myself on the back of the man who saved me as he then puts me down knowing that I was awake. Then proceeded to show me the village that I lived in for two years continue to burn as the Empire continued the pillage the town. Showing no emotion for the village the man proceed to tell me his name, which was Scion, and then asks me for my name. Not being named at birth just called girl for most of my life, Scion would argue that was not acceptable and I needed a name. He would then tell me my new name as Quna the girl who did not shed a single tear for the people that knew her. It would turn out that I would be the only survivor of the village raid and soon after I would the first companion that Scion has brought along on his journey.

Through plenty of nights he would instruct me in basic language, writing and hand to hand martial arts. Learning the language and writing of the empire would be necessary once I leave Scion. But when it came to the martial arts Scion would be absolutely merciless when it came to practicing. Threatening me to sell me off to a slave trader I worked hard to learn the martial arts he taught me and before I knew it I was growing attached to Scion. The feeling of him selling me off to a slave trader seem farfetched to me as the days went by however disappointing him made it harder to complain about his training. Then he stop the practice of hand to hand martial arts and handed me a sword and a dart-hook rope and told me to practice with it alone for an hour. It was a disaster when I tried to swing the sword as its weight pulled me around the place nearly cutting myself on several occasions. Then when practicing the dart-hook rope I ended up tangling myself when I threw it around the same way as I did with the sword.

Scion was watching me as I did it and with that he began my sword training with a wooden sword that which I could barely even hold. Rigorous training ensue afterward with me holding the sword in the correct position and then eventually swinging the wooden sword around for some slight experience. As time went on nearly a year had gone by as we traveled and trained. Soon I was able to wield the sword normally with only some slight difficulty with the weight of it. And under long time of training and traveling for some months, Scion would somehow venture onto a battlefield that which he would bring me along to fight in.

Knowing that this wasn't the place for a fighter of my level to be at I could only manage to fight enemies that Scion pointed at while he was looking for someone specific. After killing one or two soldiers that he selected for me to fight, Scion would then grab me and run away from the battlefield as we headed away from the battlefield at high speed. I would later come to know that he was fighting specific fighters in battles that we come across constantly and later withdrawing when he was done. Just as the year was coming to a close I would find that we somehow came back to the village that my parents died.

The village laid bare as the houses were burnt down, rotting corpses on the ground were so devastating that it felt like hell emerged from this place. No life was there and wherever the bodies were during the attack by the empire, weren't touched at all since then. Walking to the house I lived before, I would see the bodies of my parents mutilated and smelled worst than all the corpses that I had come across, and it was such a bad and horrible smell that I couldn't take the smell anymore and fainted.

Again found on the back of Scion he would proceed to point at the village again where a massive fire burial was taking place as bodies of the villagers were being burnt. We waited there for seven nights watching the fire burial burn for that long noting that the smell was slowly going away. Then on the eighth morning Scion would wake me up to show me the disappearing fire go away and I thought at the same time my past and ties to this village were going away as well.

Scion would then begin to gather other people when he continue to travel and on several occasions told me that I could leave if I wanted to. Yet I feel so attached to him I decline all the offers of leaving him and continued to follow him around doing mercenary works and assassinations as well. Was it due to debt that I was reluctant to leave him? Or was it that I didn't want to fight him later when we meet again? What ever it was, I knew at the bottom of my heart that it was neither of those questions and rather I felt a strong connection to him.

For eight total years I followed Scion onto the battlefield killing more opponents as he targeted and soon I was able to duel wield the sword and dart-hook rope that Scion gave to me. Looking behind me I would see several more people following Scion with me being the oldest and most experience fighter than all of them I was the leading partner for most of the fighters as I assisted and fought beside them all. This group would be called the Pack of Wolves a group of people who worked for hire and also slew Teigu users who prove to be either worthless and cowardly or fought Teigu users who were strong and had potential.

Unlike the other members I am the only member of the group who survived the longest and as such knew Scion better than anyone else in the group. Perhaps a bit too much because I knew how Scion felt even if he didn't know it. With that in mind I soon figured out why I felt such a strong connection to Scion and it was because of two things. One his bread tasted the best, I started to like grain food the most, rice, rolls, and much of mix products with grains in them, but Scion's bread tasted the best, no matter how skilled the bread was made by others his tasted the best. Two he was there when I needed him the most, that was from childhood and most up till I was 18 years old. To me he meant the world to me and I would do anything for him even committing suicide for him was a thought that came to mind that sounded brilliant to me. I could even say that I was madly in love with Scion but I also came to know that I could never be a lover of Scion as he was too attached to his goals in life. I knew what he wanted and my life goal was to ensure that he achieves it. Even if my body was ripped to pieces and cut up I would continue on fighting until I saw that he died satisfied in a battle against a Teigu fighter. Yet I hoped someday I could surpass him and defeat him at full power and beat him enough for me to even kill him. So when the time comes I would be able to ask for his love and hope to receive it in kind.


	2. Once Upon a Time: Luke

Chapter 2- Luke

I lived a life of lies really, starting out poor wasn't all that rare in towns under the influence of the Empire. To me I changed from who I was when I was a young kid dramatically. When I was a kid I was well known for being an exceptional singer, and on the darker side I was the best con artist that the world had to offer. Living the life of words sway the minds of others I lived that way for a long time. Earning enough money to survive on and avoiding people that I tricked was all part of the theme I played. I was living a life of luxury doing what I wanted and going where I pleased. Yes that was the best time when I was that kind of person. Surely I was sought for being a trickster but my words sway the minds of others. I was untouchable by people that I tricked and I moved from town to town conning people of their money, valuables, and even their homes.

But that all changed when a village that I was at was attacked by the Empire. Even though I was evil I wouldn't say I was even more diabolical than the Empire itself. It was like I was at the bottom of the barrel when it came to evil and I admit I agree up to that statement. But the Empire was there to settle an old business with the town mayor. I heard about it through the gossips and rumors of others that the Mayor refused to let a brothel to be constructed in his pure town of abundant girls. Wise if you looked at it but in the face of the Empire it was a bad move for them.

The Empire came and totally destroy the village. Taking the girls and raping them and taking the men and decapitating them. This was evil at the maximum and I would, no I could never do such despicable acts even if my words could sway the masses. I would be stabbed by one of the Empires soldiers and breathing to my last day of life because I lived a life of lies but if it wasn't for that man who appeared I would've died that day. The Pack of Wolves a mercenary group that was rumored to be even stranger than most people. Going into battlefields eliminating only Teigu users and a portions of armies that were locked in combat that the Teigu user was in.

The man would then become my leader, his name was Scion but before that, I was lying on the ground to die. Scion would ask me three questions that I have live so far in my life. One was that do I wish to live longer? Two was that I seek revenge for the murder of my family that I so wish to forget about back then? Or Three was that I wish to die for nothing, living in a life of lies that I constantly build upon and continued to commit over my life.

I refused all three and gave him a different answer, one which I pulled out of my rotten and disgusting heart. I wished to change the world that I lived in, from its demonic ways that I had lived in, a world where good and evil are balanced. A dream I could never accomplish because of my powers being absolutely worthless in the army. Scion would then save me that day and I would be a different man from then. No longer a con artist I could now sway the biggest legion I could see to danger beasts of risk level of dangers that no one would approach.

I would be secondary commander of the Pack of Wolves, leading the troops and being the one that gives the armies their morale boost to the maximum. I would then meet Quna a lovely lady that is at Scion's side always. Knowing that Quna is the longest standing member of the Pack of Wolves since its creation.

I would be also instructed in the ways of fighting twin swords would be my fighting style. The Arch Blades a unique weapon that is not a Teigu weapon yet has a rarity that is like them. Forged by folding human blood on top of another set of bloods and hardening them. The blades themselves are a mystery as only Scion knew how to make them, making him that much mysterious as well. Though it sound like nonsense I could say that the person who says that is sane because it is true. Yet the weapon exists and one of its advantages is that it won't let a living target, that can bleed, stop bleeding no matter how long it is left like that until it is bandaged.

Though I don't hold the most history with the Pack of Wolves I wouldn't be underestimated as I am one of the 4 elites of the group for 4 years since I joined the Pack of Wolves. There is much to change the world and I intend to change it for the better, even if I have to play the evil doer. But I will not go against Scion if he chooses to be good because I owe a life's debt to him for saving my life.


	3. Once Upon a Time: Chiion

Chapter 3- Chiion

I would like to tell my story from the beginning from when I was born. When I was born I was truly not loved by my parents. Sure they fed me and all that but what they wanted was not a girl but a boy. Abuses constantly as child and throughout my childhood I found refuge in reading books on fantasies and even on strategies. As I grew older the abuse got worse, as my father nearly three times attempt to rape me before I fled and my mother nearly stabbed me seven times even when I was sleeping. I had a few friends when I was young but when I turned 11 years old my friends left me and it eventually spread to being ignored by the townspeople.

But an attack by the Empire open my eyes to battles. I could see what to do on the battlefield and my first taste of it was when I led my village to victory over the invading Empire. Even the most strongest fighter fell prey to my tactics at my age. But instead of being celebrated as a savior I was further scorned and even exiled out of the village because of my actions.

I would then travel across the land watching battles after battles evaluating how the battle could have ended with either a swift conclusion or a long attrition battle. Nevertheless my fascination of the world had amazed me so as I observed every single object I could see, touch, smell, hear, and taste. This would continue on for some years before I arrive at a certain village that which turns out was going to be attack by bandits in the next three days.

I took immediate control of the citizens and commanded them to fight on. Though it was successful I fell prey to an enemy trap when using myself as the bait as I was at death's door. Then about that time Scion would be there to fight off the bandit threat and bring the battle to a swift conclusion. Though bleeding to death with no chance of surviving if not given help. Scion would be there to ask me three questions those which might be the key to my survival.

The first question was that do I wish to change the government? The second question do I wish to fight armies? And the third question was that do I wish to die in battle? Out of all the three none of those really appeal to me the most and I said crying, I wish to live on. I was then saved by Scion as I then join the Pack of Wolves repaying the debt that Scion had graciously gave to me. Though I was not proficient in fighting that didn't change the fact that I had to make sure all my strategies were allowing Scion to fight Teigu users with or without support.

I wouldn't give a damn to the government as it was already rotting from its core, and to see battles are already a pleasure to be in but to die like that seems ridiculous to me. I would then find myself training for combat so that it could never happen again. Creating my own designs on weapons I created a pair of nunchucks that could return back to me even if it doesn't hit the target at all and if it did it would still return to me. Then growing out my hair I then tied it up in a ponytail and placed another weapon in my hair and kept it that way so that even if I am disarmed I will always have a backup weapon on hand. A dagger that could transform into a bow allowing me to fire arrows at range as well.

Just in two years I would rise and be one of the 4 elites of the pack of wolves even better than most of the elites in intellect but still weaker in combat. Regardless even I would admit I would have never gotten that far in such a short time the way I traveled. Somehow I felt a connection in this group, unlike anything before. I felt a true bond with it. Being the main strategist of the group I am given strict control over the battlefield on the spot, allowing Scion to fight at his leisure without the enemy bothering him.

I have on several occasions gone off on my own but a pigeon would always communicate with me whenever Scion is about to go war. I'm always there before he arrives and have several plans in set for him to take. Occasionally he'll mix it up making me think on the spot the best solution to the scenario he wants it to be. And to be honest even I'm surprise how he manages to survive without planning ahead of time.

Sure I could leave him but I would never dare challenge him in a fight, even if I had the strategic advantage he by himself could obliterate the entire army that I lead in a day span with no support from the Pack of Wolves no he doesn't need anyone for that matter. So I dutifully help him because he finds it more interesting if he has a scenario he has to surpass since he gets bored. I really wonder what he really is.


	4. Once Upon a Time: Scion

Chapter 4- Scion

If I had to tell my tale it wouldn't even start at Quna or even when I started to fight, it would be when I started to enjoy life that my life took a turn for the worse. That was when I was eight years old, my life was not the best but it was better than most people where I lived. My parents lived an honest living or so I thought when I found out they were receiving bribes but that was later in life. I didn't notice any of that as a child perhaps it was for the best. Laughable I was a bully as a kid, looking down the people who were in poverty, that doesn't sound like me but that was only after just one incident that change my perspective in life. It was only after that I bullied a kid that I was on the tail end of a bully fiasco. I felt the same pain as the kid that I was bullying and to change so much doesn't seem likely but just from that experience I knew that I am the same wherever I live in the world.

I began to look up to the bullied kids that stood their grounds and even befriended them. They were the very foundation of my lifestyle and I began to fight for what should be right. Though in a different perspective I wasn't much of help. It would only be after that my parents were assassinated. I barely manage to survive due to my newly gathered allies aiding me. I failed them just as much and they died knowing that there was someone who were higher that cared about them.

Several months would go by and with the remaining amount of money I had I spent it on a set of information for a powerful swordsman in the countryside. Was I seeking power for revenge, or was I seeking to better myself for the worst to come? Whatever it was, I am sure it was to survive. Teigus were mysterious items and to obtain one, one would be able to obliterate large forces effortlessly. I thought otherwise when I found my master who I trained under for two years and eventually succeeding his legacy by the time it reached my tenth birthday. Obtaining the Tension Blade and the Equinox scabbard I then left my master after he died and began to travel across the land seeking for something.

Battles after battles I would fight and fight more powerful enemies and soon began to get bored with the basic level of troops and went straight for the higher ranks. It was when I faced against a Teigu user that I felt a thrill to fight them head on. But to challenge them on fair and equal footing seems unlikely. As I had fled from them and some had fled from me. Some had goals they wish to achieve, some just fought for the sake of fighting. I seemingly then found my own kind of a Teigu. One that would allow me to test a skill of a Teigu user base on skills alone, not on the powers of the Teigu. On several occasions I would find the thrill of fighting a Teigu user pointless and even fruitless if I couldn't get stronger, or couldn't be bested. What did I seek? Did I not have a goal to achieve in my life?

Several years had gone by and I met Quna as a kid. I made too much breads for that fateful day and she was the first person I came across who was hungry beyond all possibility. Was it destiny? Was that encounter a start of something new? I wouldn't know but I would know this that I helped her. Feeding her and nursing her back to health just before the raid that was going to happen. A bandit raid, I had no interest in such tribal manner but the only thing that drew me to that town was that the bandit leader had a Teigu. Though it would seem that the battle with the Teigu user was proven falsely as I felt nothing. The idea of success didn't even register in my head as I slew the Teigu user before tossing the Teigu to another person. Then the idea came to me as I did that, I could train a Teigu user to fight me, though that seem skeptical I wouldn't doubt that battles would be any fun if I couldn't be bested at least once.

Formulating ideas how I could be defeated and further honing my skills. I would be able to utilize my Teigu to the best of my knowledge, so that I would not need to think hard about it when the time comes. Then after two years of doing so I went traveling again this time I heard about the Empire having Teigu users. This proven to be interesting as these fighters were exceptional fighters. Only that they had some incompetent users that could be better utilized by a different person most certainly. It was then that I entered a village that was under siege by the Empire. A Teigu user was definitely here as I see bodies lying everywhere, too quick to be just an infantry march, as people would panic and run the moment an attack of a scale of this village size approached. I would also see the burning of the village by a small unit but I didn't care I sifted through the village quickly and found my Teigu user that I would hunt. It turns out this Teigu user was just as useless of a fighter as being overly arrogant and obnoxious that I killed him with my fully achieved Tension Blade. Seeking the Teigu so to distribute again I meet Quna once more and this time she was holding the Teigu that the man I killed used. Quna would faint, probably from the stress or even the pressure of holding a Teigu since it requires a strong will to wield them. But seemingly I took her with me. She woke up on the way out of the village and I showed her village being burned. I didn't feel any sort of contempt from Quna and so I decided to introduce myself, Quna did not have a name so I name her Quna just randomly with no particular interest about it. But I felt an urge of something about her. Even at my age I was only four years older than her. How many years would it take for her to even beat me? As she is a possible Teigu user of the weapon she picked up. I kept the sword and dart-hook rope close to me as I then begin to teach her the basic languages and writing of the Empire and taught her hand to hand martial arts. I taught her the basics of what Martial Arts can be, though I taught her and show her techniques, when it came to sparring I was absolutely merciless there was no time to mess around and be easy for training purposes. Because there are always battles to be at the time. Quna was a quick learner I have to admit as it only took her about 3-4 months to learn the absolute basics in hand to hand martial arts. I then stop the training and handed her the Teigu weapon set of the dart-hook and sword and told her to see what she can do with it at the moment. Watching her for an entire hour of Quna swinging the sword around I was even more amaze how she tangled herself up at the end. Going to her I then started to teach her the basics of swordsmanship and with that she grasp the basics quickly. But still having difficulty as she needed practical combat experience. So I 'naturally' wandered onto a battlefield just as the thought came to mind and I started to pin-point Teigu users in the front. Selecting her opponents wisely only those of her level I gave her the first taste of fighting and killing a person in actual combat. Only then I leave and take her out of combat when she got tired and soon she was able to handle herself on the battlefield.

We then traveled to the village that she started from the moment we set off on this journey, she was devastated by the insane smell that the village reeked. It smelled so bad but I continued onward, eventually piling all the dead bodies up I then set it on fire and started to burn the rotting corpses of the villagers. I then went to find Quna to find her collapse and unconscious most likely from the heavily stinky rotten decay in the room. I then brought those bodies to the fire as well and the fire continue to burn. Getting away from the noxious smell Quna then wakes up and I stop to watch the fire burn. We sat there for several days as the fire didn't die out until then and finally the great blaze ended and Quna stood up and awaited for me to move on.

I was truly baffled when I told her she could leave me at any time but she stayed with me and to be honest I felt it was fun in its own way to travel as a group. Eventually I then meet up with some more people who survive from a raid or battle or even an attack by the empire or a new group by the Revolutionary army. I would ask those people what they want to do before they die. Some of them wanted to just die, others wanted to have revenge, then there were two people who had a different answer from what I gave them. Luke and Chiion were the two who gave me a different answer to my questions and I decided to save them. The group was small but I wouldn't say we were the weakest group. Nobody dare to challenge this mercenary group, we work for hire and will complete the jobs we are given. I still go and kill some Teigu users now and again but with a twist.

Support from Chiion I am able to really play any scenario at my whim one on one and group battles are all possible at her tactics. With Luke and Quna I able to fight without worry that the enemies won't join me between the Teigu user and myself. I decided against to give them Teigus because I saved them there is no reason for me to kill them again for having Teigus. Quna still doesn't know the weapon she wields is a Teigu but I could tell if I told her she would learn quickly how to use it.

I feel a strong excitement that when Quna finds out, she will challenge me, but for now there is the Empire army and the Revolutionary army. A battle is brewing behind the scenes and also on the frontline between these two armies. From this standpoint I know these two forces have Teigu users of great abilities. I can't wait to try and fight them, but how is the question and when I will fight, might be soon.


	5. Present Time (Story begins here)

Chapter 5- Present Time

"What is the situation Chiion?" Scion asked as he looks at Chiion.

"Hmm not good for the Revolutionary side, it seems one sided to me with a Teigu user at the front of the battle lines. The Revolutionary side might break and be annihilated in an hour or so." replied Chiion.

"The Empire seem to be taking this battle lightly." said Scion as he looks further and finds the Teigu user killing a foot soldier.

"What's to expect? They can't predict the movements of the Pack of Wolves you know." said Luke as he point it out.

"Well they should always expect reinforcement from an unknown threat as a possibility," said Quna as she then turns towards me, "So what shall we do Scion? Fight the Teigu user?" asked Quna.

"How about we assist the Revolutionary Army until the battle tips back to balance between the two armies and retreat, if it means to kill the Teigu user then that is a bonus." said Scion as he smiles.

"If you wish to tip the battle to a balance battle then we must eliminate the Teigu user as primary and after doing so we should, for about three minutes, kill the Empire's troops to tip the balance. Is that a good strategy?" said Chiion

"I like it, let's do it." said Scion as he looks at the fight readily.

"We'll execute this strategy in three minutes, Luke rally the group for the attack." said Chiion.

"Alright... Let's do this men we'll charge and attack the Empire forces and once the Teigu user of the Empire is defeated we'll go and slay for three minutes their troops."

"This is an interesting scenario," yelled one of the men

"Let's do this!" yelled a woman.

"Well then let's begin the charge!" said Scion as he then urges his horse to sprint down the hill they were on and charge into the battlefield with the rest of the nineteen members of the group following behind.

"Raise the Pack of Wolves banner and tilt it to the left side guys!" yelled Chiion as she gives the order to raise their banner.

At the Empire's Main Base.

"What's this? A different unit? What a laugh! Only 20 men? I wonder what fool decided to jump into this fight?"

"Wait... isn't that the Pack of Wolves banner!?"

"What! The Pack of Wolves banner! Which direction is it pointing?"

"It's towards the enemy's side!"

"Shit they are siding the Revolutionary Army, be on your guard men the Pack of Wolves group have a fearsome reputation of eliminating half an army by themselves even if it is twenty men they are still formidable."

At the Revolutionary's Main Base.

"A unit of Twenty people have appeared from the cliffs."

"What! Have the men brace for a surprise pincer attack... I did not expect them to do this tactic."

"The unit has the Pack of Wolves banner raised."

"The Pack of Wolves!? Which direction is the banner raised?"

"Towards us commander."

"Then cancel my previous order we continue on, let the Pack of Wolves enter through our ranks and allow them to annihilate the enemy forces!"

"Yes commander!"

Back to Scion and the Pack of Wolves.

"Our reputation provides us the advantage of entering the army's ranks as we please as usual." said Chiion as the units in front of them begin to space off a bit allowing their group pass undeterred. "Lower the flags we start our rampage now!" yelled Chiion as the members lowered the banners and pulled out their weapons.

"First come! First serve!" yelled Scion as he then jumps off of his horse that then rides off the side as Scion shreds through a soldier like he was paper, and then continues onward towards the center of the battle.

"Come on that's no fair to take the first kill!" yelled Luke as he then also jumps off of his horse and begins to cut through other soldiers.

Then the rest of the Pack of Wolves jump off of their horses and engaged with the Empire's Army.

"Huh? Where is Quna, Luke!" yelled Chiion as she smacks a soldier with her nunchaku.

"I thought she was with you!" yelled Luke as he spin kicks a soldier behind him.

"Oh well we'll see her at the cliffs with Scion as usual!" yelled Chiion as she then grabs an empire's soldier as a meat shield from a sword attack and proceeds to kill the ones that killed the soldier that she used as a meat shield.

"Hello there Teigu User!" yelled Scion as he jump attacks the Teigu User.

"What!?" gasped the Teigu User as the Teigu User dodges Scion's attack and counters.

"Hmph a girl this time? Let's see what you can do in a minute time." said Scion as he then sheathes his sword repels the counterattack with the scabbard and begins to circle around the girl Teigu User.

The Teigu User then also begins to follow the same movement and runs in a circle and then yells, "Who are you!?"

"I am Scion! The Leader of the Pack of Wolves!"

"Scion?! Then I shall kill you here with my Teigu!" yelled the Teigu User as she then jumps and attacks Scion.

Scion repels the attack with his scabbard again and spin kicks in retaliation, which is then guarded and sends the Teigu User flying only about three meters away in the air and landing on the ground about eight meters from Scion.

"What the hell is your scabbard made of?! It should have been destroyed by that last hit!" yelled the Teigu User as she charges again.

"Times up," said Scion as he then places his hand on the Tension Blade, "You show potential but you won't live through this encounter without an injury."

"That's what you think! You're underestimating Me!" yelled the Teigu User

The Teigu User then approached Scion, but Scion then slash with the Tension Blade cutting through the armor that the Teigu User was wearing and out came three ribs before Scion spin kicks at the injury sending the Teigu User flying back into the Empire's soldiers ranks. "I might see you again later you won't die that easily." said Scion as he then is surrounded by the Empire troops.

As a few seconds pass a soldier then charge only to be pulled back and being sliced in half by a sword.

Landing next to Scion, Quna then turns towards the soldiers and looks at them.

"Quna," said Scion as he then puts his back to Quna's back, "let's do this."

"Yes, Scion." said Quna as she stands firm in her stance and looks around at the Empire's soldiers.

"Kill them, they're just two people!" yelled one of the soldiers, as the group of soldiers charge to them.

"Don't underestimated!" yelled Quna as she hooks her sword to her dart-hook rope "The leader," and begins to twirl it above her at high speed "and an elite member of the Pack of Wolves!" with it then ripping and also repelling the forward onslaught of the Empire's soldiers.

"Don't lose your attention on me or you'll die!" yelled Scion as he slices through three soldiers that stood watching Quna.

"Scion!" yelled Quna as she decapitates a soldier's head off.

"Looks like three minutes has elapsed Quna!" said Scion as he cuts down five other soldiers. "...Alright let's go!"

Wedging through more soldiers Scion and Quna runs through the Empire's army side and retreats towards the cliffs and leaves the battlefield.

At the Empire's Main Base-

"Shoot! With the loss of our Teigu User and some of our men we somehow return to an equal footing with the Revolutionary Army!"

"It doesn't matter, the Empire won't lose here! Charge at the frontlines again!"

At the Revolutionary's Main Base-

"Excellent they removed the Teigu User threat we have a chance of victory here!"

"Commander should we send a messenger to contact them?"

"It's worth the try to get in contact with them, and let us hope they will join our side for the rest of the battles to come!"

Back to Scion and the Pack of Wolves.

"That was a good skirmish I have to say."

"It felt like I killed 100 soldiers in a minute."

"Hey it was 100 soldiers, it was indeed a good skirmish there."

said some of the members as they talked amongst themselves.

"Hey Scion, Quna! Together as usual!" yelled Luke.

"As always!" Chiion finished Luke's sentence, as she and Luke approached Scion and Quna who are now mounted on their horses just on the edge of the cliff side of the battlefield.

"And it seems that we have a guest here I see," said Scion as he turns his head towards a man in a silky like clothing who bowed towards Scion. "Speak, what is it that you wish to convey to me?"

"We like to have you join our forces," said the messenger.

"I decline!" said Scion declining the offer instantly as if knowing the message before even hearing it.

"Then we would like to have you meet our commander after this fight." offered the Messenger as a secondary idea.

"You don't know that it will happen." said Luke as he looks at the messenger.

"No, not this battle commander," said the messenger as he shakes his head. "We would like that you meet our leader, of the Revolutionary Army."

Pausing for a couple of seconds, "I see... Well I have no reason to refuse and we've just completed a skirmish, so we can take a break now." said Scion as he shrugs.

"If so, then see you later Scion, call me again with Loi!" yelled Chiion as she then spurs her horse in a different direction and heads off into the woods.

The messenger surprised by Chiion's decision then asks, "Huh? Don't the Pack of Wolves travel as a group?"

Scion, Quna and Luke look at the messenger and burst out laughing at the man's remark,

"Ahahaha! Though we are the Pack of Wolves we do not always travel in groups we know when to return when we need to," said Luke as he tells the messenger, "Only Scion and Quna are the main leaders of the Pack of Wolves and now I'll be heading off on my own little break." Luke then reigns his horse around and spurs his horse as he travels in a different way from Chiion's way and while doing so all the members of the Pack of Wolves disperses as well.

"I see so that is how you got the name Pack of Wolves." said the messenger coming to that conclusion of their group name.

"Of course Chiion came up with the name so I'm not the full founder of the Pack of Wolves; but because we are like Pack of Wolves all we do is gather our forces and we go to battle together or make group decision together," explain Scion, "but that doesn't mean we, as a group, travel together. We all have our agendas and we know our place. But don't worry, I always have contact with Chiion with Loi and Chiion will gather the Pack of Wolves quicker than you can say 'Wolf'."

"I see... well then here is a map to our current base of operation and we'll be moving quite soon so best be on the move." said the messenger as he then takes out a scroll and lifts it up to Scion.

"Alright you can leave then," said Scion as he takes the scroll and the messenger then jumps off the cliff and starts to head back to the battle's main base.

"This is quite the bother isn't it?" said Quna as she looks at Scion as he opens the scroll to find it fairly accurate map of the land around the Empire.

"That's right I don't really want to go but I don't have anything better to do than to listen anyways." shrugs Scion as he nods in agreement.

"That's just like you Scion," said Quna as she looks further at Scion for any more things to say to him.

"Well I'm going to say we are going to have an ambush once we arrive at the camp so best be ready to fight out of there." said Scion and Quna nods to that sentence.

"How many days do you think it will take for us to get there?" ask Quna.

"About two to four days if we encounter a harsh predicament, otherwise in a day's time." said Scion as he hands Quna the map.

"Okay," said Quna as she looks at the map before handing it back to Scion.

"You ready Quna?" asked Scion as he then looks at the map on last time before looking back to Quna for confirmation.

Quna nods and says, "Yes let's go then Scion."

"Alright let's go then!" yelled Scion.

They then spur their horses in the direction the map pointed as Scion rips the scroll piece into several pieces and tosses one fourth of it into the wind.


	6. Revolutionary

Chapter 6- Revolutionary

Arriving at the place Scion stops his horse just as Quna's horse trots up next to him.

"I say this is quite the base," said Scion as he looks at the people moving around, training, chatting and some even eating peacefully while laughing occasionally.

"Well now who are you two? You don't look from around here..." said a man next to the entrance who then approaches Scion and Quna.

"I am Scion and this here is Quna," introduced Scion as he points towards Quna indicating her.

"Scion and Quna?! What brings the leader and an elite of the Pack of Wolves to our encampment?"

"I am here for the Revolutionary leader, a talk really," said Scion as he looks at the man.

"Talk...? I'll see what I can do, but in the mean time come in and rest your horses, you must be tired from your journey to get here."

"Sure but I'll keep my sword next to me just as Quna will keep her weapon set as well... Is that okay?" Scion asked.

"Hmm... I'm not sure... but I won't ask you to not do that, so just come in." said the man as Scion and Quna then gesture their horses into the camp.

The man runs off in the direction of the biggest tent and soon Scion and Quna dismount their horses and started to walk towards the biggest tent as well.

"No outstanding fighters in the open here, seem they are busy somewhere else." said Scion as he whispers to Quna.

"I don't understand why we are here though Scion, I'm sure you are bored but to go here goes to show it's a different thing for me as well." said Quna walking slightly behind Scion.

"Well it's new for me as well, might as well enjoy the new experience." said Scion as he then looks up to see Loi, a small pigeon, flying in the sky circling around the camp.

As they approach the big tent the man is standing there and nods to Scion and Quna and gestures them to enter.

Entering the tent's entrance with way in covered by a clothed doorway. Scion pulls it aside and continues onward with Quna following right behind. Then they enter an area filled with lighting of candles on the edge of the room with them illuminating the room easily. At the center of the room was a large round table and there a man watching Scion and Quna very closely, sat at the far end of the table with a group of other people sitting on stools.

"Welcome Scion, I hope you had a safe journey here." said the man at the far end of the table.

Scion bows and looks up at the man, "Get to the main points already I don't like having time wasted listening to long winded explanations."

"Very well, Ten! Give him a nice summary." said the man as he looks at a young boy the closest to Quna.

"Yes sir." said the boy named Ten as he then bows and begins to give a summary, "Our army is short on experience fighters and though we are a big force we do not have the combat experience to fight the Empire's Army with size alone."

"Your point is?" said Quna as she looks at the boy.

"We like to have you, the Pack of Wolves join our ranks and further increase our chances of winning this war."

"I decline," said Scion and Quna at the same time.

The group look at each other just as the man at the far end of the table supposedly the leader of the group then asks, "What will it take to have you join our cause?"

"Nothing we do not join groups, we are a mercenary group and you know that we the Pack of Wolves decide together not just the leader and an elite." said Scion as he looks at the leader.

"Still there must be a way to have you help us?" ask a person in the group of people at the table.

"I make it a condition then, **if** you really want us to help you," said Scion as he looks at the person who sought to have them help.

"W-what is it?" asked another group member.

"If you can defeat me in a one on one combat then I will help you for as long as you stay in place once you move again."

The room goes quiet as Quna couldn't help it and gave a short giggle in expecting Scion to do this.

"Then I'll defeat you and have you help us until then," said a group member as the person stood up and there the person was a big man with a large frame and a fully made armor equipped. "Any other condition?" the armored man asked.

Sensing a short killing intent towards him, Scion replies, "You must be willing to die if you are a Teigu User, if you're not a Teigu User you must be able to lift or force me off the ground with means of combat, and you will lose if I get ten advantages, of which if I fully parry you, if I have a counter opportunity, or if I have you on the ground."

"Hmph seems simple enough is there some kind of side note to that?"

"I can dodge and I can also attack as well." said Scion as he then pats the hilt of the Tension Blade. "And you can switch out with another fighter if you don't believe that you'll win."

"Then, Ten, call the captains and most of the troops that are idling around, for we'll watch this fight together." said the leader then Ten bows and heads straight out of the Tent.

"Let's begin and get this over with shall we," said the large man as he also heads out of the tent.

Scion turns around as Quna smiles at him and they both leave the tent, and then the group of people at the table get up and head outside of the tent with them.

Outside of the tent the large man was holding a large battleaxe as he looks at Scion and says boldly at Scion and Quna, "I got this I won't lose to you that easily."

"I doubt that you can beat me, you can always switch," said Scion as he then walks out further and unsheathes the Tension Blade.

"Really? Let's see if you can beat me!" yelled the man as he attacks Scion as Scion then hits the battleaxe on its side with his scabbard.

"Advantage one" said Scion as the battleaxe goes flying away from it's intended hit also at the same time causing the large man to stumble forward. "I take that you underestimated me, try again you have nine more clear hits to force me off the ground."

"I did miscalculate, I'll try better," said the large man as he then stance himself and then charges at Scion.

'He is charging but keeping his balance, which means he wants me to dodge by jumping over him, but he knows that won't happen. So...' thought Scion as he then unbuckles Equinox, the scabbard name, entirely and stabs with it into the ground leaving it standing there. Then Scion walks away a few feet and stands facing away from the man.

The large man was confounded by Scion's action and still charging as he thought he would plow right through the scabbard. A mistake he would not make twice as he hits the scabbard and feels a heavy weight pushing right back at him causing him to trip and fall over.

"Advantage two" said Scion as he then taps the Tension Blade next to the large man's head as he slowly gets up.

"What the heck was that? Is that scabbard a Teigu or something?"

Scion shakes his head and says, "Maybe, nah I won't lie it's just really heavy, about 100lbs, that's why I wear two straps around the waist and around the body so that it doesn't go flying everywhere." said Scion as he then walks back to Equinox, then takes Equinox out of the ground and straps the two belts connected to the scabbard securing it.

"A 100 lbs!? That's impossible to move around with that much weight! Shouldn't your horse get tired from that weight?" yelled a person in the now gathered crowd.

Scion shakes his head, "The horse I ride can carry up to 300 lbs, I weigh about 130 lbs plus the 100 pound scabbard I would be under that limit. Now come you got eight more tries," said Scion as he gestures the man to attack again.

The man then slowly looks back at Scion and slowly starts a small jog to Scion and in a brief moment swings upward. Instead of the scabbard deflecting Scion uses the Tension Blade to guide the large battleaxe's direction entirely to miss Scion and causing a rush of air to pass Scion's hair.

"Advantage three," noted Scion as he takes two steps back and the large man windmills the battleaxe attempting to lift Scion again.

Scion shakes his head as he then smacks the battleaxe right back into the ground forcing it to lodge there as Scion then touch the large man's arm and then stepping back for three second as he watches the man try to pull the axe out Scion then touches the man's shoulder with the Tension Blade.

"Two advantages, one for the parry and another for not allowing yourself to retreat from my counterattack." said Scion as he smiles. "You have five more tries." said Scion as he then walks back a few more steps.

"Hmph... I am not good with this weapon as it is, I ask to switch with someone agile then." said the large man as he then looks at Scion.

Scion then looks at the new opponent and says to the new fighter, "To even beat me in combat you're gonna need to try to kill me to join you,"

"Is that so?" said the new opponent, a girl who carried a spear and sets herself in a forward stance aiming to charge at Scion.

Scion then gives a small yawn as he says to the girl, "Come then you have five selective shots to hit me."

The girl then charges and begins to thrust rapidly at Scion. She then continues to press forward as Scion deflects each oncoming blow, and then grabs the next thrust and pulls it down into the dirt as Scion then taps the Tension Blade on the girl's shoulder.

"Advantage Six," said Scion as he then walks away from the girl. "More?" said Scion as he looks at the gathered Captains.

"I'll try then," said Ten who then walks up with a pair of swords and looks at Scion.

"You have four shots to best me," said Scion as he then looks straight at Ten.

Ten then breaths in before giving a short burst of rush as it surprised everyone except the group members and the leader at the table.

Scion was not surprise at all, regardless and watches Ten sprint rapidly giving off an afterimage. "Not Teigu but pure speed, impressive," nodded Scion as he then spin kicks at Ten who was behind Scion. "But it means nothing if you don't force an opening, Advantage Seven,"

"Very well then I'll have to take you on myself then," said the person next to the leader as the person then comes up front of Scion and picks up a sword that belong to Ten.

"Fine, then if you can, you will," said Scion as he watches the person circle Scion.

The person then warps away from vision and appeared in front of Scion who uses the scabbard to deflect the blow and mutters, "Advantage eight," before stopping another swing with the Tension Blade. The person then tries to push Scion up, but is instead being pushed downward further towards the floor and rolls out of the way as the sword breaks that the person picked up.

"Advantage Nine one last try," said Scion as he then takes a slight side step as Ten appeared behind Scion and slashed where he use to be at. Scion then guards a ground assault as the two blades grind as Ten pushes a lot of pressure into the attack. But Scion then places his foot on the blade and pushes the blade down and causes the blade that Ten was using to be sliced in where it contacted the edge of Scion's Tension Blade. "Advantage Ten," announced Scion as he looks at the Revolutionary leader. "You lose the bet, you had no chance of victory in the first place against me but it was good try I guess, it was entertaining," said Scion as he then sheaths the Tension Blade into Equinox. "Come then Quna we leave," said Scion as he then begins to walk away but stops as the crowd did not break way for him and Quna who was behind Scion to leave.

"If you don't intend to join us we shouldn't have let you live so far!" said the Leader as the Leader then gestures to everyone, "Everyone don't let these two escape, we know that they might tell where our base is if they are paid,"

Scion turns half around as the several fighters that Scion fought were Teigu user as they then charge at Scion.

Quna then steps in front of them and whips out her dart-hook towards the large man's battleaxe and pulls it forward before pulling her dart-hook off the battleaxe. Then she guards the spear girl with her sword and Ten with her dart-hook and stands her ground. Holding the weapon lock, Quna then push them back a bit before spin kicking Ten and directs the spear the girl was using into the ground with her spinning motion and holds her sword next to the girl's neck.

"You are no match for me," said Quna as she kicks the girl away.

"Is this the best that your Teigu users are at right now? They may be accepted by the Teigu but if you cannot train them properly they are just as useless in battle just as if they didn't have a Teigu." said Scion as he looks at the leader.

"Does that matter?" said the Leader.

"It should, because Quna beat three of your Teigu Users without being pressured and that is a feat I would say is quite impressive." said Scion and he then smiles.

"So what, we have the means to defeat just the two of you it's not like that you can stop us." said the leader.

"That's right just us two, we cannot stop you, but that doesn't mean you can defeat us, you're better off not even trying to recruit any of the Pack of Wolves, if you cannot fight your own battles." said Scion as he turns and sizes up to a man who was in his way. "Now move it or I'll kill every single one of you, and I am being exceptionally serious this time."

"Continue the assault on them!" yelled the leader as he looks at Scion and smirks, "The rank and authority of the leader must be strong and we cannot be looked at as weak!"

"You fools," said Quna as she then connects her dart-hook hook's end with her sword and begins to spin it around at razor speed creating a humming sound as she plows through the people who attempt to approach her.

"This is how you treat your guests? This is the most pathetic way of assassinating someone." said Scion as he slices through the people who also approached him.

"You are no longer a guest here and we can't have you living if you aren't helping." said person who challenged Scion earlier.

"So fear is the main push huh," Scion then sighs as he then looks at Quna, "I guess we shouldn't be here, Quna we'll escape and do no more harm." said Scion as he then jumps up and lands on top of a man's shoulders forcing the man onto his knees due to the weight of Scion.

"As you wish," said Quna as she then grapples out of the area with her dart-hook and swings over the crowds.

"Farewell then Revolutionary Leader you are calm and wise but don't forget, I will kill Teigu users as I please, so don't forget to train your Teigu Users for that day." said Scion as he then jumps onto the crowd of people and starts running on their heads. "And when that time comes they won't be spared the next time!"

Then leaping up from the back of the crowd, Scion jumps onto his horse that leaped into the air at that moment and follows behind Quna who is ahead of him who was also in the air.

"What the!" were some of the voices that Scion hear as he soars over the people.

Landing on the outside of the crowd Scion then spurs his horse forward and takes the lead in front of Quna who just landed as well. Riding out of the crowd they then ride off on the other side of the hill.

"Let's go do some traveling Quna!" yelled Scion as he looks at Quna.

"Then… Where shall we go then Scion?" said Quna as she looks at Scion.

"I think... well... hmm..." muttered Scion as he thinks where to go.

"How about we go to the ocean?" said Quna.

"The ocean?... Sure why not." said Scion as he nods and looks ahead.

"Should we tell Chiion where we are going? I bet she has never been there either." asked Quna.

"Sure, I bet she would like to come as well." said Scion,

Scion looks up towards the sky and gives off a rather inaudible whistle as Quna could not hear it when it was blown. A small bird flies down to Scion and lands on Scion's Tension Blade and looks dutifully at Scion.

"Loi tell Chiion to that Quna and I are going to the Ocean and if she wants to come she will have to send you back okay?" said Scion to the small pigeon smiling at it.

The small pigeon chirps in agreement and gives off a small salute to Scion and leaps off of the Tension Blade and begins to fly away.

"How does Chiion going to know where we are without a letter?" asked Quna now with curiosity, "Because I seen Chiion and yourself the only ones who use this method."

"Let's say that Chiion and I raised Loi that way, and if you really are curious ask Chiion when you meet her." said Scion.

The two then spur their horses onward over the sword filled hill and out of sight from the Revolutionary's current main camp.


	7. Shadows

Chapter 7- Shadows

After traveling for most of the day, the night already took hold of the sky where Scion and Quna both sit down to eat for the night.

* * *

"Somewhat there aren't we?" said Scion as he takes a bite out of a meat on a bone.

"Yeah I think since we have been traveling for at least half a day now, but I'm more surprise that you killed a Danger Beast without breaking a sweat." said Quna as she pokes the meat, feeling it out the heat of the meat that was just cooking over the fire.

"It's no problem at all really. Once I am committed to doing something, I tend to get too serious and end things quickly." said Scion as he finishes his meat and tosses it behind him and grabs another meat bone that was cooking over the fire and starts to eat it without blowing on it. "Besides Loi came an hour earlier so we should expect to meet Chiion some time very soon." said Scion chewing on the meat.

Quna takes a slight bit into the meat before liking how it tasted and before taking another bite Quna asks, "Have you been to the ocean before Scion?"

Scion shakes his head and rips off the meat that he was biting into and quickly chews it and swallows it, "I have never been to the ocean before so this would be my first time there."

"Really? You've traveled for a long time perhaps at least longer than I have and you never seen the ocean?" said Quna with a surprise and yet a curiosity that seem to be innocent to Scion.

"Quna you have been with me for at least eight or so years and we met two years before that." said Scion giving an estimate of how long he has been with Quna. "With that in mind you should know that I didn't have that much time to travel freely unlike now."

"Unlike now? So... what change Scion? What changed so that it allows you to now freely travel?" asked Quna.

"Hmm…" mummer Scion in thought before continuing, "well there are less rebellions other than the main one of the Revolutionary Army. But battle only breaks out weekly and not daily every day like it use to when everyone was all-out against the Empire."

"That is a major change, of course, but does it make any significant changes to the world?"

"No, I suppose not," Scion then shrugs, "but that wasn't the only thing that change,"

"Oh?" Quna stops biting into the meat and asks. "And what would that be then?"

"The Teigus are not as widespread as it use to be in the old days, now it's centralized around the Empire and the Revolutionary Army. Too much political battles and diplomatic interactions for the two groups that are constantly growing each day with new fighters or leaders. So in my position I don't like that."

Quna closes her eyes as she then smiles as well, "Hmm that is like you Scion," Quna said as she finishes her meal and places the bone down.

Scion then smiles at Quna before frowning, "Well then I guess I should note that the person who is watching us should reveal themselves now before I toss this next bone at them." said Scion as he stands up with a bone in his hand.

"Huh? Since when did we have an assassin?" said Quna surprise when she looks at Scion believing him on the spot.

"If you don't come out, I can make you come out," said Scion as he sniffs the air, "Three huh," muttered Scion as he then throws the bone behind him and hears a jump from the spot. In a fairly brief moment the mysterious person lands next to Quna and holds a spear's tip up to Quna's neck holding her hostage.

"Well now, I wasn't expecting to be found out that easily." said a white armored person. "I guess I need more practice with hiding my presence."

"No need, Quna did not notice you there the whole time so I wouldn't say you failed." said Scion commending the white armored person's good effort to conceal himself.

"So how did you find out that I was there?" wondered the armored person.

"I am a master fighter I should naturally figure a difference between what is real and what is not."

"So the information is true after all, you're no slouch, that's for sure," said the armored man.

"And yet you are foolish for letting your guard down you know." said Quna as she steps next to Scion.

"Huh? How...? No I shouldn't worry about that. Sorry but you need to die here," said the armored person as the person position the spear in the right hand and charges at Scion.

"How foolish," said Scion as he draws the Tension Blade and as the armored man approached Scion the armor that the person was wearing disappeared at a point revealing his face and the upper portion of his body.

Realizing this the man jumps back and touches with his left hand to see if the armor was still on as it reappears.

"What just happen?" said Quna surprise to see the event that just happen in front of her.

"That is the power of my Teigu, I can neutralize, repel and cancel out any other Teigu as long they are within my attacking range. You should judge well for the next attack since you now know my Teigu's power, for example." said Scion as he then picks up a small rock and Quna sees a multiple colored red dome appear around them. With Crimson enveloping most of the area close to them with a bright red color then encircling that dome.

The man was then completely exposed as his armor disappeared entirely as he notices it and jumps further back before landing outside of the crimson dome and his armor returning just as he lands in the bright red dome.

"Of course since you are indeed outside of my dome of neutralization it does mean that I cannot throw that far and still hit you accurately," said Scion as he drops the rock to which the dome then shrinks tremendously being just around Scion original crimson dome.

"Huh... This will pose a problem," said the man as he approaches Quna and Scion again and rubs the back of his helmet. "Gonna need help here," said the man as a white streak scatters and dances across the red dome on the left side.

Quna swings out her sword deflecting a sword attack from the flank and looks at a young girl with long black hair and crimson eyes staring her down before they both jump back from each other.

"Some kind of a Revolutionary assassination attempt?" said Scion as he sits down and gestures Quna to sit next to him but she doesn't. "How far have I gone to be 'evil' in their eyes Night Raid?"

"We follow orders to the letter and we all know your exploits on the battlefield," said the man as he charges and attempts to thrust his spear at Scion as the dome shrank even further.

"Don't you understand?" said Scion as the spear disappears and the man pulls back as the spear reappears, "Your Teigu cannot approach me without being neutralized by my own Teigu, and to anyone who is listening to me, only the girl behind me can do any real damage with her Teigu weapon since it is a blade."

Scion then gets up and deflects an attack by the girl behind him and slashes at an afterimage of the girl. Quna then walks to the edge of the red dome and faces the armored man as she then smiles and bows to him before taking a fighting stance. "I guess you'll be my opponent for this evening sparring." Quna asked politely.

"I don't know if I can spar with a pretty lady like you, I might kill you," said the armored man as soon as Quna leaves the dome of Scion's attack range, the man then charges at Quna and thrusts his spear into her to which was simply dodge by her.

Quna who jump in the air then throws her dart-hook at the man who already knew her position. The man quickly dodges the dart-hook and jumps up to Quna going for an aerial kill. However using the dart-hook as an anchor Quna then pulls herself downward, diving towards the man and clashes with his spear with her sword.

Scion dodging slowly yet calmly as possible as his opponent was not someone to take light of, as the girl was precise where the thrust of her sword went. The girl was also fast and was aiming all of his vital points without thinking for a second for her next action and with that being able to let no retaliation be done by Scion. If it wasn't Scion facing this girl, it would be difficult to defeat this girl without sustaining injuries of at least several vital points being hit. Scion acknowledging the fact that he is being overwhelmed then unbuckles his waist straps to his scabbard and starts to deflect the girl's attacks with his scabbard following with his Tension Blade as his primary attack.

Quna tugs on her dart-hook back to her and throws it in a different direction and pulls on it as it grapples to a bone. The bone is sent flying towards the man as they both landed. He ignores it entirely as it hits his armor bouncing off like it was nothing. But seemingly it was just enough for Quna to wrap the dart-hook rope around the armor man's legs and throw him off the ground with it. Quna then pushes the arm that was holding the spear with her left hand and places her right foot on his left hand as she sets her sword on his neck.

"A little sloppy I think." whispered Quna to the man.

Scion noticed a huge change of attack behavior from the girl as soon as he hears a thud behind him. Scion then begins to counterattack with his own onslaught of attacks and begins to push the girl back. The girl then begins to dodge carefully and manages to leap from his forward slash and lands behind Scion before going for the back stab. But a nunchaku hits her sword and forces it downward into the ground missing Scion completely as he then sets his foot on the girl's sword and points the Tension Blade at her neck.

"Go, now." said Scion as he looks at the girl's red eyes, "I'll take this as my loss today, since I was too lax against you. I'm lucky to be alive."

Just as Scion then steps back the girl then pulls her sword and flicks off the nunchaku and says to the armored man, "Let's go we're clearly not good enough as three people we'll need a bit more next time." sheathing her sword the girl then looks at Quna who was still holding the armored man down.

"Quna I ask that you let him go, the last thing I want on my mind is revenge from the Night Raid," Quna nods as she then gets off of the man quickly and takes off the dart-hook from him as well. The man then gets up, stretches a bit before he turns to look at Quna before he leaps away into the midst of the night with the young girl as well.

As Scion sheathes the Tension blade Chiion walks up and picks up her nunchaku and turns to stare at Scion, "Well now I didn't expect you to be that lax right Scion?" said Chiion.

"Sorry for being lazy I would most likely be dead by now if it wasn't for the help." said Scion as shrugs.

Chiion pause to think about what Scion just said before only to comment, "Only Luke could tell whether that is true or not, regardless we should get to bed already." said Chiion as she pulls out a portable tent and cot bed and assembles both of them quickly.

"You're sure prepared, as usual." said Quna as she looks at Chiion assemble the cot bed quickly.

"I try to be prepared, I like to live longer thank you very much," said Chiion as she then finishes assembling the cot bed and pulls out a blanket and pillow and lays it on the cot bed. Chiion then pulls the cot bed into the small tent. She then zips up the tent entrance and before even a full minute elapse Quna and Scion could hear her already asleep.

Scion then claps his hands as "Well now since that's over let's go to sleep shall we?" said Scion as he sits down and lays about 3 feet away from the fire.

Quna yawns and smiles as she sleeps on the other side of the fire about 3 feet as well and they started to sleep the instant two second had pass by.

* * *

Story is getting slow here and the next chapter will just be simply a filler chapter for their stay at the beach but how it goes I don't really know until it is posted :P


	8. Omake - Plans for the Future

OMAKE- Plans for the Future

"Well now this isn't what I expect could happen," muttered Chiion as she rides up on her horse to see Quna and Scion sparring.

What was surprising to Chiion was not that Quna was sparring with Scion but was that Quna was overpowering Scion with skills that Scion taught her, with sticks that Scion and Quna found earlier to train with.

"Tch..." muttered Scion as he then dodges a thrust by Quna and counters.

"Hah!" yelled Quna as she then repulsed the counterattack by Scion and thrust again towards Scion.

Scion kicks away the thrust and swings down on Quna. Only to be then shoulder bash by Quna, causing Scion to back flip away after the impact. Quna then lifts her stick towards Scion in form she prepares to strike just as he recovered and in a brief second he had his stance in the same form as her stance. They then look at each other for one last decisive attack as sweat trickles down their foreheads. They then both simultaneously step forward and take swing a hard slash at each other and as soon their sticks collided in unison the sticks breaks and disperses from the impact and from the point that the two stick's collided also began to illuminate the area for a brief second.

"Wha... what was that?" muttered Chiion in surprise as she then quickly spurs her horse down the hill she was on, down to the beach.

Quna and Scion then collapse from exhaustion as they see Chiion riding down towards them and then jumping off.

"Hey there Chiion sorry for leaving you there," said Scion as he waves to her.

"No matter I decided to come on my break so it is expected," said Chiion as she shrugs and then steps further and stands on the edge of the beach line where the ocean wave touches barely. "So... this is the beach and in front of me must be the ocean... what an amazing view." said Chiion as she looks out.

"It's an amazing sight isn't it?" said Quna as she gets up and looks at Scion.

After Scion gets up as well, he then shrugs, "It sure is... not what I expect to see in my life."

Seeing that the two have regain their ability to stand up Chiion took the opportunity to ask, "Besides that you two, what was that light I just saw when your sticks collided?" asked Chiion as she turns around sees the two walking away. "Hey that's rude to ignore me like that!"

"Where else is there to look after this Quna?" asked Scion as he then puts on Equinox back on him.

"Hmm how about the frozen north? I heard there are some interesting things going up there," said Quna as she then puts her weapon set back on her as she then smiles at Scion.

Scion then frowns as he then rubs his head, "But that will take us about a month just to get there you know."

"You TWO..." muttered Chiion as she looks at the two behind them as they turn around and looked at Chiion who was now clenching both of her fists tightly. "YOU CALL ME ALL THIS WAY, ONLY TO DUMP ME HERE!?" yelled Chiion with one thinking that her hair was flying up in rage as her blood veins bulging as well in anger however that was not the case.

"Huh? I guess we could build a house here so I was going to get some wood?" said Scion confused why Chiion was getting mad.

"And food as well?" Quna added on to Scion.

"Wha...?" said Chiion surprised by the reason, "Why didn't you say that to me in the first place!" said Chiion now embarrass of her sudden outrage. "Then I'll scout for a good place to build at."

Inaudible to Chiion, Quna and Scion silently sighed a breath of relief avoiding Chiion's massive lecture of etiquette.

"It's a plan, let's start right away then!" said Scion, then he and Quna then start running towards a forest near the beach.

"Geez why do I seem like I'm the crazy one here," muttered Chiion as she then turns and starts to look around for a good place to set their place at.

Chiion then walks down the beach for about three hours, and looks to edge of it and finds the spot that seem to be a rather good spot to build something at.

Chiion then whistles out to Loi that is as inaudible like Scion, as she then looks up and sees Loi flying down to Chiion landing in front of her.

"Well now Loi tell Scion that I have found the place and it is about twenty meters from where I last met Scion on the beach towards the right side of the forest exit. Relay that to him okay Loi?" said Chiion as she then sits down.

Loi then chirps in accepting the request and gives a small salute to Chiion and then flies away into the woods.

Scion-

Scion was tying up several logs of wood together as he was planning to make this a secondary base if he ever creates a primary base in his life. Then he hears a chirping noise that only Loi would make when Loi brings a message to him from Chiion.

"Oh? She sent a message huh..." muttered Scion as Loi then lands on the ground and then starts to write.

"I see..." said Scion as he nods and watches Loi then erases the message. Loi then flies up and lands on the hilt of the Tension Blade with its dutiful eyes looking at him. "Tell Chiion that I have thirty logs on hand and will be getting to her as soon as possible."

Loi then chirps in accepting the request and gives a small salute to Scion and then flies away towards the beach.

"Well now I better get these set of logs there in one journey so it looks like I got to leave the Tension Blade here for the moment," said Scion as he then unbuckles the straps to Equinox and then strikes the ground embedding it into the ground. Scion then lifts the entire set of logs all at once and starts marching towards the beach.

Chiion-

"Hey!" yelled Scion as Chiion turns to look at him and waves at him. "I got the logs here,"

Gasping Chiion hesitantly looks at Scion up and down to make sure she wasn't being tricked by his lifting load, "Really now, how much does that weight anyways?"

"Probably about three tons would be a rough estimate." said Scion as he then drops the load with a loud thud on the sands and turns to head back into the woods to retrieve the Tension Blade.

"Well now I'll get the preparations ready when you come back with Quna then," said Chiion as she sees Scion waves in confirming her request to return with Quna. Chiion then starts marking the ground after calculating and idea of what the size of the building they are going to make.

Quna-

Being an experience fighter, slashing and killing her targets in one hit would be possible if she could hunt small creatures such as squirrels and rabbits. Unfortunately and yet surprisingly the only animals that was in the area were several danger beasts and with that in mind she could only hunt them.

In her past situation she had killed about eight different danger beasts only to have most gathered danger beasts steal her kills and while at it faster than she could catch them. She had to hunt quickly and quietly while at the same time trying to stay alive. It wouldn't be long before she got into it so much that she had killed at least twenty of the danger beasts before retreating with the gathered meat.

"Quna!" yelled Scion a voice she could hear from quite a distance.

"I'm over here!" yelled Quna as Scion then came into her view of vision and stops in front of Quna.

Scion then surveys the mound of dead danger beast plopped on top of each other as he then carefully asks, "Help?"

"It would be appreciated if you could do so." smiled Quna as she points towards the other half of the gathered danger beast.

"Geez, what are we going to do with all this meat? Have a party?" said Scion surprised with the amount of meat that was now just gathered.

"We could," said Quna as she shrugs and smiles slightly before they then carry on with taking the meat back to base.

Scion then lifts up the remaining meat and they then carried the meat batch out of the forest and eventually to a planned area of which Chiion was building a fire.

Hearing their footsteps on the sands Chiion then yells out, "What took you guys so-" Chiion didn't even finish that sentence after she turns around to see the two carrying the meat on hand. "Wha! What are we going to do with all these meat?! Have a party or something!?" yelled Chiion surprise with Quna and Scion carrying a bit too much meat.

"We could," said Scion as he then chuckles at the déjà vu moment.

Quna and Scion lay the gathered meat on the placement of large leaves and turn to work on the house.

"So this is how the house would look like... isn't it a bit... large?" said Quna.

"Yes that's the plan we are going to make a house here that will stand for a long time," said Scion smiling.

"A beach house huh? This is going to be something." said Quna as she then takes out a log and lays at a different spot than it was from the other logs and then looks at the meat.

"Those meat won't cook fast so we should put them over the fire before we start the building process." said Scion as he then takes the meat and places some over the campfire to cook for the time being.

Scion then takes out the Tension Blade while walking over to the pile of logs and in several distinctive strikes hits all of the logs ripping the bark and then separating all the logs into planks and several study pillars.

"Urgh… that took a lot out of me," muttered Scion as he collapses after sheathing the Tension Blade and rubs his right forearm.

"Okay I'll handle the marking then," said Chiion. Then she then takes out a small dagger out of her ponytail as she then marks on all of the logs where to cut them and looks at Quna for some log work.

Quna nods as she then takes her sword and slashes at all the cut points with perfect accuracy making the planks smaller on one log. Then Chiion then takes the set of planks and throws them into the spot scattering the planks about as she continues this process for the remaining logs. Then looking closely to the shape of the building and the design itself Chiion then nods and starts to place the planks to where it needs to be at for the building.

Five hours later, Chiion and the others then completely finishes the sides of the beach house, drenched in sweat from all the work put into it.

"Hah... This is quite the building process," sighed Chiion with a sense of success.

"Well now all that is left is to put in roof and gather the furnitures when we can." said Scion as he rubs his chin.

"Furnitures... we're going to need some money right?" muttered Quna in question.

"Not necessarily," said Chiion as she smiles, "We could produce the furnitures ourselves, since I have been traveling for quite some time."

Quna and Scion mummers a sigh of amazement of her knowledge. "So what should we do?" asked Scion.

"At the moment we will need to eat the meat that we have gathered and I guess we could make the leftovers be jerkies... Then we'll make the furniture when we get the materials," said Chiion as she takes a wooden bark and starts carving words onto it.

Quna then surprised then mutters, "Eh? We're not going to make them here?"

"Of course not!" yelled Chiion, "We don't have the necessary materials to do that so when we get the materials we'll have to send it back here to be later made."

"Understood, until then we'll dub the beach house project under process." said Scion as looks over Chiion's shoulder reading what she was writing.

"Well then what are we going to do for now?" asked Quna.

"We are going to the North and do some work maybe?" said Scion.

"Well, if you are going towards the North then I'll do some gathering in the South," offered Chiion.

"That's okay we'll keep this a secret from the others and give this as a surprise." said Scion as he lifts his finger to his mouth.

"Alright... would that mean I have to buy some kind of transportation from now on?" asked Chiion as she thinks about it.

"Hmm..." murmured Scion thinking about it.

"I think that's the best course of action," said Quna as she then nods at Chiion.

"Nah buying one is a hassle if we get a terrible condition one. So if that is we are doing, then I will need you guys to build me a wagon," said Chiion as she then looks at the two.

"Alright let's work on it tomorrow then, I'm so hungry I could eat three danger beast whole!" said Scion as he rubs his stomach as all three of their stomachs growls.

"Ah... it would be nice if we had bread with it..." mumbled Quna as she walks over to the fire where Scion was eating through the meat.

"Bread?" said Chiion as she tilts her head in wonder following Quna hearing something from her.

"Oh!?" gasped Quna as she begins to blush, "L-let's eat right Chiion?" said Quna as she then takes a drumstick and blows on it.

"Right..." said Chiion as she looks at Quna suspiciously before blowing her meat drumstick.

"The sunset looks amazing here..." said Quna as she watches the sun set in the distance.

"Well it's dark already we took half of the day to get here and about eight hours or so to build what we can call a simple small house but, it was worth it by its own rights." said Scion as he licks his fingers from his six meat meal.

"Yes..." said Quna as she bites into the meat which could only be considered her first meat since they began eating a while ago.

"Well then I'm going to sleep, so best get some sleep early, for tomorrow's morning work," said Chiion as she yawns and quickly finishes eating her meal.

Standing up Chiion then walks out a way from the fire and pulls out her portable tent and cot and goes to sleep after setting it up as usual.

"She's quick to go to sleep." said Scion as he looks at Chiion's tent.

"Especially when it is dark." said Quna as Scion then turn his head towards Quna.

"Well if she is sleeping we should be getting some rest as well then," said Scion as he stands up.

Then Scion goes to the wall of the small house and sits down leaning against the wall as Quna goes and follows him and sits next to him.

"Can I sleep next to you?" Quna muttered as her voice softens quickly, as she instantly falls asleep before Scion could respond and her body slides down and her head sits down right on Scion's left shoulder.

Scion looks at Quna and could confirm that she was asleep and he whispers quietly, "Yes, you may Quna."

Scion then notices Quna's face, changed in response to his answer, into a smile as the oceans waves crashes onto the shore.

Quna wakes up and jerks up in embarrassment as she was sleeping on Scion's shoulder all night. Noticing that Chiion was already awake drawing on the sands a building model of the wagon that Quna and Scion are going to build for Chiion.

"Morning Chiion." said Quna as she gets up and yawns.

"Oh? I was expecting Scion to get up first but it's okay if you are awake as well. So I have a question for you only," asked Chiion not really looking at Quna.

"Yes?" responded Quna in accepting the question she began walking to Chiion. "What is it?

"What is Scion to you?" Chiion asked as she stops drawing and looks at Quna.

The question stopped Quna in her steps as she mutters out, "Eh..."

Chiion then gives an answer to her own question, "Scion to me is my savior who let me live a longer life, someone who I owe a debt to and probably my own life if it comes to fighting him. So again what is Scion to you Quna you who has been with Scion for at least eight years?"

"He's..." began Quna before Scion appears behind Quna and pats her head and Quna stops speaking.

"Ehn what are you girls talking about now? We should get the wagon built and move onto finishing the house fully." said Scion as points at the still unfinished house.

"Well we're going to need to do it now and then once the roof is in place we'll have to come at another time to finish it." said Chiion as she smiles.

"Okay let's do it then," said Scion as starts walking to the house.

Quna then follows suit and they set up the rest of the roof which Scion then lifts and kept it balance for the rest of the roof to be built upon.

"Done!" yelled Quna as she hammers in the last piece.

"Well now this wouldn't have happen if not for Chiion's careful planning." said Scion as he pats on Quna on the head.

"Yeah so we the house done we can start moving furniture in right?"

"What are you talking about? This is just the house we are going to keep our materials in for the moment." said Chiion.

Quna's widen in surprised, "Whaaaat! Y-you mean this isn't the house?"

"No! Of course not!" Chiion blatantly yelled at Quna making the scene a comical moment. "Building a base is significantly longer than you should expect considering we would need bathrooms, bedrooms, a cafeteria, a meeting hall and an armory!"

"So for the time being," said Scion as if throwing a rope to Quna and her knight in shiny armor coming to her rescue, "We should continue and focus on finishing the wagon for Chiion to use to gather materials for a later date."

"Well you got that point right not only that though..." said Chiion as she looks at Scion before frowning at his pampering side. "We'll need the entire Pack of Wolves here to finish building the base in a year's time."

"I see so let us begin our building shall we?" said Quna understanding the intent.

Scion then goes into the woods and not before long brings back a giant tree several times bigger than himself.

"Wow... how... no words can describe what I'm seeing here," muttered Quna amazed by Scion's strength.

Lowering the tree Scion then takes hold of his sword and in a flash rips the entire bark of the tree off causing it to be bare just as he drew his sword.

"Leave a portion of the tree in a circle making it easy to build the wheels later with the other portion being the shape of the wagon, I think about six by four feet for the body should be okay." said Chiion instructing what Scion needs to do next.

Scion then nods as he again slashes the tree and cuts a large portion of the tree into planks leaving the other portion untouched.

"Now for the wheels make it like this," said Chiion as she then takes out her small dagger and carves a very clean and distinctive shape of the wheel on the tree's inner rings.

"Should we have six wheels? That way you will have extras on hand if a wheel breaks off?" asked Scion.

"That's okay, even if I did need another I know the shape and it's diameter so it won't change even if we get a bigger log or a different wooden wheel." said Chiion as she shrugs.

"Okay..." said Scion as he then cuts six identical wheels in several distinctive hits before sheathing the Tension Blade. "Gah... Overexerted my muscles again!" said Scion as he tries to massage the muscle on his right arm.

"That's some exertion if it could do that." said Chiion amazed.

"I'm not omnipotent you know. I'm human just like anyone else." said Scion as he frowns.

Then it was Chiion and Quna's turn to frown at Scion, "That's hard to believe, whenever I see you in battle you never seem to tire," said Chiion.

"Yeah well you don't see my losing side all too often." said Scion as he looks at Chiion straight in the eye saying that.

"Well anyways shouldn't we get the wagon built then?" asked Quna.

"That's right go on then get on with the building Chiion," said Scion.

"Okay okay geez..." said Chiion as she then takes out a small sack that makes a metallic noise when dropped onto the sand.

Being rather curious Quna asks Chiion, "Where did you get this?"

"I'm a merchant as well when off duty so I was able to gather basic crafting materials such as glass bottles, nails, sewing kits, first aid, whetstones, and a mortar and pestle set."

"So prepared." Quna looks at the gathered items in the sack.

Chiion then rummages through the sack and comes up with a handful of nails in one hands and a hammer in the other hand as she then lays the nails on another cloth placed on the sand.

"Alright let's begin the crafting of a wagon then shall we Quna?" said Chiion.

"Indeed," said Quna as she then takes a plank and begins to follow Chiion's orders.


	9. Brewing Conflict of the North

Finally out with the next chapter :X Sorry this was late in my opinion, still have a long way to get the next chapter done.

AND if anything in the story bothers you then you can complain in the reply section and I won't be offended by it any ways possible so fire those insults away if you can. :P

AND sorry if I sped up the journey north I don't have anything during the time they Travelled up North

* * *

Chapter 8- Brewing conflict in the North

Three Months had passed even with that the seasons were changing and thus quickening the pace of the cold northern wind. Only several days into the winter month, Scion and Quna had finally arrived at and left the Northern reaches of the Empire border towns, and now entering the Northern region's first town.

On the road the two were somewhat quiet before Quna then remembers something about the North through conversations she would have with shop clerks when they were in towns of the the Empire.

"Hey Scion have you heard about the Empire launching a campaign within the region of where we are." said Quna to Scion who was ahead towards the left of her.

"What? There is a conflict coming up soon?" said Scion actually surprised that Quna knew something he did not know.

Quna looked at Scion in shock but shrugs and continues to tell him more, "Have you heard of Numa Seika? He is supposedly one of the best there is in the north with his spear mastery and battle tactics."

"...Pah!" Scion scoffs at hearing Numa Seika's name to which confuse Quna.

"Scion, do you uh… dislike Numa?" asked Quna carefully not to escalate the conversation into an argument.

Scion goes quiet before he then shrugs as he slows down the horse to talk at a normal trotting pace. "Alright since this will be a hard question to ignore I'll tell you with five reasons why I probably don't like Numa Seika." said Scion as he then turns his body slightly to look at Quna and then raises his right hand up with his index finger raised indicating reason number one. "Reason number one, Numa is arrogant, his strength, intelligence and fame covers this fact completely though. Why I can see him like this is because of his decision of not joining forces with the Revolutionary army." Then Scion's starts to increase his finger count up by one. "Reason number two, if people already knows of his exploits now, it means that there is a spy that is in Numa's camp especially one that is good to avoid his detection or even possible that he is ignoring that spy entirely, this spy is most likely just keeping tabs on him. Reason Number three I have never, ever, in my entire time as a Teigu user even as a fighter heard a Teigu user being slain in a fight without the assistance of a Teigu user before, and that includes myself who has fought and defeated Teigu users before but I have never killed one in combat since all Teigu users can escape from their opponents at a moment notice. Reason number four, I do not believe he has ever faced the empire in a full fight of the best fighters head on, being a leader he will face one of the stronger ones eventually, especially the general level fighters. Finally the last reason is that he is acting like how I was, when I was younger." then Scion ends it there and starts to trot away almost as if he knew Quna wasn't going to say anything to him there.

However contradicting that, Quna then says to him directly "Are you underestimating him? You don't even know what he is capable of in the first place." Quna pointed it out to Scion.

"You're right, I may be underestimating him, however being well known is not an advantage rather a disappointment, I'm sure that devastations are to follow if a big force is sent to obliterate them. Like the Empire's campaign to the North." said Scion as he looks at Quna as she gives him a curious look at him, "What? You want to go and meet him?" asked Scion.

Quna looks at Scion again while sensing no lies from him still unsure she shrugs and nods, "Sure let us test him."

"Us? I believe you are the one who wish to test him, I have no interest in fighting non-teigu users for trivial matters like these." said Scion just as he sees a town ahead of them. "Seems that we finally arrived at the town." Scion then spurs his horse as soon as he said that before Quna also sees the town.  
"Eh? Wait I have to fight him?!" said Quna questioning Scion as she then spurs her horses as well, following behind.

Arriving into the northern town…

The first thing the two see is a parade of people smiling and lots of stands with merchandise selling, with the crowd of people being in a loud and jubilant atmosphere.

"Uh… This atmosphere is…" muttered Quna as she dismounts her horse as Scion was already dismounted and pulling his horse with him.

"It's too upbeat and… carefree. This is not what the town should be celebrating about right now," muttered Scion as he then stops to let Quna catch up to him before walking again. "Listen Quna I'm not trying to be philosophical but what I believe is that in this world there are many type of people who share a loyal in the world, but three types tend to stand out more than the rest of them. These are ones who are loyal to their country, ones who are loyal to their relationships with others and ones who are loyal to their desires."

"Country? Relationships? Desires?" said Quna repeating it.

"Yes of the three, the one who is loyal to their country tends to live the longest if not in conflict with a secondary force. Those with loyalty to relationships tends to live for a short amount of time in this life but can make many connections and bring out the best of everyone."

"Okay don't know why you are telling me this but… what about desires?"

Scion stops moving as Quna also stops to listen what Scion has to say, "Those who are loyal to their desires tend to live about 50 years of life or less and they tend to face the most hardship out of the three main ones, however… they are also the ones who stand at the top of everyone else."

"And who are they exactly?" inquired Quna.

"They are Kings, who rule the world, for they have some kind of desire in the world. Kings who protect their Countries, Kings who protect who they love and Kings who desire what they cannot hope to achieve on their own, are what drives the world. Fame, Money, Love, Vengeance, and lots of other worldly desires are a pivot pull in this whole world."

Quna then looks at Scion and then asks, "Then… what drives you?"

Scion pauses as he mutters, "I don't know, perhaps I'm seeking a worthy opponent to best me and kill me. Who knows what drives me to do what I want." Scion said as he shrugs and then continues to move onward.

"I know what you're driven by..." Quna whispered to herself as she watches Scion walk further on, 'You are driven by a powerful desire… But what made it so strong that it is so influencing?' thought Quna as she then gently urges her horse along to follow Scion through the street.

Scion then stops and looks at a man and struck a conversation with him. "Hello sir, quite the festivity from what I see here."

The man stops what he was doing and looks at Scion and says to him, "Oh yes this is quite the festival, we're celebrating Numa Seika's arrival here in this town."

"Really?" muttered Scion as he looks at the man, "Do you mind if I asked how he came in?"

"He came in, with one of the most amazing appearances, with a parade and with his army behind him. I would say that it was quite amazing as well."

"I see…" muttered Scion as he then smiles and bows to the man, "Well then carry on with the festival."

"Will indeed do." said the man.

Then as the man walks away Scion then looks at Quna and says to her, "I can't believe he's letting himself delay in the interception of the Empire's army it won't be long before the empire strikes. An idiot I say." said Scion as he then frowns.

"H-hey that's not nice to talk about him like that you know, in this city." said Quna as she looks around in caution.

"No need to be quiet about it, no one is even paying attention to us." said Scion as he looks at Quna, "Because this city is known for being suspicious of visitors and outsiders, but when a festival is here it doesn't even matter."

Surprised by the knowledge Scion possessed, Quna then throws a question, "You've been here?" inquired Quna.

Scion turns his head away from Quna, "... I use to come and visit this city when I was a naive kid with my parents… however that was a long time ago you know." said Scion as he then turns and points to a large crowd of people. "First let's locate Numa Seika and see if he is what the rumors say he is."

"I'm sure he'll fit his role just fine." said Quna with a slight frown towards Scion who laughs a bit.

"I guess." said Scion as he then looks around before running up to a window and jumping onto the tiny space of the window ledge and leaps upward onto the roof without any difficulty.

As Quna then looks around several seconds to make sure they weren't being watched again as she then ties their horses onto a sign post before throwing her dart-hook up onto the roof and pull herself up.

Then the two then dash on the rooftops without much trouble for several seconds before Scion then stops Quna and points in a direction to which was rather vague to one's normal vision.

Looking towards where Scion pointed about several blocks away close to the center plaza, there sat a man with several other people.

"Alright I admit, he does have his potential. But lacks some necessary experience." Scion said as he then jumps over on the rooftops towards the people.

Quna follows behind and then they were just above the people on the other side of the plaza as they watch the man toasting to the people at the table. "What do you mean necessary experience?" asked Quna.

"He has yet to face true might and therefore has no fear of the unknown, of which he should." said Scion as he then boldly stands up as a gust of wind blows by with his clothes flapping from the wind. "Teigus are fearful items of destruction, many are directive, others helping, but still normally and almost always dangerous for a human to touch."

Putting strong stand as well Quna also stands up and at the same time puts her right hand up to her chin as if in deep thought before saying, "It has been on my mind but since we been traveling to battlefields and on missions for most of our eight years together, I still don't understand... what is a Teigu?" asked Quna.

"A Teigu is an item that brings a fighter, or a person for that matter, a strategic victory even one which a battle has no chance of winning if one ends up using one." explains Scion to Quna.

Quna raises her head towards Scion and questions it, "Is that really a Teigu?"

"No not really, but that is how I view Teigus, I see that they are just last resorts however people will use it for battles regardless to show that they aren't any common fighter but a warrior sometimes." said Scion as he then shrugs.

Putting her hand down Quna then looks at Scion again and asks, "I see… and Numa Seika?"

"It's impossible," Scion said as he shakes his head, "There is already a spear user in the Revolutionary army, and he does not have the mental mindset to even go beyond its true potential. Otherwise he would just be a failure for a Teigu user."

"So… What chances do I have if I go against Mr. Seika?" asked Quna as she then puts her sword and dart-hook towards the front and holds them in a tight grip.

"If you are going easy on him 10% of winning, otherwise you have an average of 50% of winning regardless of what you do. You have more experience, but he is a genius like you say. I'll give you ten minutes in beating him, otherwise retreat and I'll handle the rest." explained Scion as he then pats his right hand on the handle of the Tension Blade before saying, "Are you ready?"

"Understood," said Quna as she then leaps from the rooftop and from there after a long air fall she throws the dart-hook at Numa Seika. As Quna lands on the table Numa deflects the dart-hook with a spear that was next to his chair with slight surprised before getting into a fighting stance.

"An assassin?" gasped the people as Quna then runs on the table.

Then Quna jumps up and soaring down, clashes with Numa Seika as she presses down on him.

"Hmph a nobody." said Numa as he flicks Quna away with his spear before taking a leap towards Quna.

Quna then backflips as she then deflects each of Numa's attacks with her dart-hook and sword. Landing finally on the solid ground away from the table, Quna then parries an attack as she then gives a low sweep kick Numa who then jumps and attempts to pierce Quna from above. Quna already had anticipated this attack pattern as she was already behind Numa as he lands, who then attempts to back jab with his spear to which was Quna's afterimage. Slowly she then approached a meter from him as she then attacks him from several sides. But from the position he then spins around hitting all of the Qunas, to which all the spectators' surprise she wasn't hit. Quna appeared right behind him again as she then tightens her dart-hook that circles around Numa, sealing his movement. Or so she thought as she then guards a spinning attack as Numa lands about 5 meters away from Quna. Then Numa charges at the now tired out Quna and just as his spear was about to pierce her body.

"Ten, it's over," said Scion as he then blasts Numa's attack away. "You are quite the fighter I admit," then Scion jumps towards Numa as he then charges at Numa letting no opening attacks left uncheck as Numa attempts to block every single attack that which each strikes got quicker. Then with one blow Scion hits Numa in a guard stance sending him sliding on the ground and then skids on the ground and jumps back to retreat as he grabs Quna before Numa recovers to return to his fighting stance.

"What do you want?" yelled Numa as he stares into Scion's eyes.

Scion landing on the table shrugs, "To test you."

Numa then frowns at Scion who has leapt onto the table, "For what?"

"If you are capable to lead." answered Scion quickly.

"What?" were one of the many murmurs of the men who sat at the table.

Scion smiles at Numa before shaking his head, "In my point of view you fail as one, a waste of effort to defy the empire as it is. No ambition or desire pretty pathetic."

"You dare insult our lord?!" yelled one of the elders in the area.

"A lord?" Scion said as he then gives a short laugh, "Hah! A fool is more befitting for someone who doesn't recognizes another's real power."

"What!?" yelled Numa as he then shows aggression towards Scion. "Just who do you think you are!"

"The name is Scion, I'm here for a visit but… I guess I might be here for the defense of most of the northern defenses against the Empire's Campaign."

Another elder understood the situation almost instantly as he asks, "You'll fight for us?"

"If you don't have a teigu I might," Scion then smiles.

"Then!" the elder then spoke up before being interrupted.

"I said I might, I don't obey any lord, I am my own person, whose caliber surpasses one of a simple fighter."

"Hmph do as you wish," said Numa with a slight scoff at Scion at the end.

"Are you sure? I'll betray if you lose, yes you will lose since you don't understand, you know." said Scion as he then slightly shifts the Tension Blade to deflect a thrown spear.

"Shut up you know nothing!" yelled Numa.

"I know more than you so that doesn't stop me from criticizing a man that has no real chance of facing a Teigu user. I'll warn you once, underestimate a Teigu user and you will die." Letting Quna down he pats her on the head in doing a good job for fighting.

Numa scoffs again at Scion as Scion then shakes his head in disappointment, "I'm disappointed in you, I'll see you soon." Scion then smirks as he then leaps upward onto a lightpost and leap onto a rooftop followed by Quna who is behind him, then Scion turns to look down at Numa.

"COWARD!" Numa yelled at Scion.

Scion shakes his head, "Cowards are those who fear the embrace of death I'm more overall leaving at my own leisure."

"But that is nothing but fleeing from a fight! A loser then!" yelled Numa.

"Label me all you want, but provoke me any more and you won't be leaving this city alive." said Scion as he stares straight into Numa's eyes. "Do you wish to test that statement? I truly doubt you can stop me and Quna working together."

Numa turns around as he then walks away as Scion then turns away and runs off as Quna follows behind him.

Landing next to their horses of where they tied them up Scion turns around to untie his horse's reins as Quna lands next to him.

"So… is he unreliable…?" asked Quna as she does the same and unties her horse's reins.

Scion then gets onto his horse as he looks at Quna, "This is something I disagree though Quna he isn't unreliable he is just not capable of being a leader."

"So then are you a leader?" inquired Quna as she then gets onto her horse as well.

Scion shakes his head, "Hardly, I missing one key personality to be a leader." said Scion as he then scratches the back of his head.

"And what is that?" asked Quna again.

"Compassion." said Scion in quick response as he then turns and urges his horse to run forward down the road and out of the gate.

Quna confused still behind Scion then asks, "But I'm very confident that you are fit to be a leader you know."

"For a band of misfits." said Scion as he then pulls hard on his horse's reins and then lifts his right hand to his mouth and gives out an inaudible whistle to Loi whom comes down and lands gently onto the hilt of the Tension Blade. "Loi tell Chiion to gather the members of the Pack of Wolves to the northern city far north of the Empire and ready them for a defensive siege fight we're going to fight very soon. However let Chiion also know that the Pack of Wolves can chose to not come at all, so they don't have to but they can come if they are up to it. Now go Loi!"

Giving its little salute as usual Loi then flies away in response towards Chiion to wherever she is, as Scion then gestures Quna to follow behind him to a location.

"She shouldn't be too far off but the Pack of Wolves still shouldn't be so lenient to join this fight," said Scion as he then pulls himself up onto his horse.

"Then why should we, us two to be precise," said Quna as she quickly points at Scion and herself quickly before continuing. "Not dismiss this kind of fight then?"

"Numa is likely to spread a rumor that he had just recruited the Pack of Wolves to their side increasing their army's morale. So this rumor will spread even outside of the city preparing everyone that may attack the city in advance in our presence." explain Scion, "Or that is what he should do after all." Scion said before he sighs and rubs the back of his head at the same time.

Quna blinks and had a surprise looking face upon hearing that Numa would use their group's reputation to his advantage as she then says, "I see… so should we participate at all?"

"We should, but ignore any request that he may ask you do even if he dares to use my name to attempt to persuade you to do something. Only if I am in front of you and say so, will you do anything. Understand?" commanded Scion as he then looks at Quna.

"I understand," said Quna unquestionably as she then nods.

Scion then nods as he then spurs his horse forward with Quna right behind him and on the very outskirts of the city the both of them then get off of their horses to begin Chiion's First Grand Tactic. They then began to mark a large circle that was about at least 10 meters wide at most on the field. A simple encirclement for a camp but for this group if it is Chiion's strategies there is some kind of importance behind it after all.

* * *

Expect the next chapter to be done next week if I have the time :P


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